Thanks for all of your name suggestions for my latest bag design. There were soooo many catchy names to choose from it made me dizzy!
In the end we settled on: 'The Arc Angel Tote'
Pretty sounding, descriptive and a nice play on words. Well done to: Celtic Thistle Stitches please step forward, contact us and claim your prize! As soon as the kit is ready (almost there) we'll get it sent to you.
The Arc Angel Tote.
Hurray a new bag design! I'm back on the drawing board - love it! I really, really enjoyed putting this design together. I confess the pattern making did challenge my limited maths capabilities, but it's good to push the grey matter (every now and again).
It all started with the unusual double curve top edge of the bag. The top edge of the bag was inspired by my watching Raiders of the Lost Ark (again!). I loved the graceful sweep of the angel wings on the Ark itself. Inspiration is everywhere - thanks Harrison!
The new bag received the all-important 'squeal and cat walk posing in front of the mirror' reaction from the girls in the office. Only thing is there are so many cool features about this bag that we couldn't easily name it. The things I love about this bag are:
This bag will be available as both as a PDF pattern and a Blank bag making kit.
Click on the pics to enlarge:
Roomy and very up-market-looking (just like me - hahahaha!) To make the best use of this design I think it's best to use stripy or geometric patterned fabrics. This way you will clearly see the upturn curve of the pleats contrasting with the downward curves of the top edge. Also the great thing about geometric patterns it that they make it sooo much easier to make everything symmetrical! FYI I used Heather Bailey, Garden District. home dec stripe in Dove.
She's a big and versatile gal, she'll will easily store your city shopping, picnic, beach, holiday gear and she'll do it all in style!
Finished size: 16in (W) x 16in (H) x 4in (D) (40.4cm x 40.5cm x 10cm)
Love love love the hardware! The glossy statement trigger hooks are what makes this tote look so grown up, professional (and New Yorker -
Kate Spade). I mean really, does this bag look like it was handmade
by a scruffy mum in her manky slippers? I think not. :)
Inside we have a spivvy trimmed inner pocket so we don't have to fish inside the depths for our keys, purse, phone and lippy.
So I hope you dig my new design as much as we do. Thing is we can't start offering the pattern until it has a name. Can you help?
Contest Details (please read carefully)
To one lucky winner I'll send a BLANK bag making kit (with pattern) for this bag. It will contain all you need except fabrics, thread and eyelet tool.
To enter all you have to do is comment on THIS PARTICULAR POST by:
**SORRY THIS CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED**
Contest Official-ness :
Thanks for telling us your current craft crush and taking part in the ticket draw.
We have a randomly selected winner!
So will Bek Oko who said:
"How to choose just one?! Apart from purses I've been making little needle felted people. Trying to make them as life-like as possible has been fun! Though I don't know what I'm going to do with my little clan yet; at the moment they are living amongst some wooden mushrooms in my living room.
Thanks for the chance to win some tickets. Would need a strict budget in a place like that me thinks!"
Step foward, email me your email address lisa[dot]lam@u-handbag.com and we'll get the tickets sent to you. :)
Thank you!
Yep it's the knitting & Stitching craft fiend's shopping event of the year...oh yes!
Win a pair of tickets for the show worth £30.00!!
With over 150 companies offering up crafty wares there's plenty to break the bank with. Also on offer are various workshops and demos. Yours truly will be there on the Saturday at the F&W stand for most of the day Come over and say 'Hiya!"
How to enter:
All you need to do to enter the draw is: 'tell what is your current craft crush. What craft can you not get enough of at the moment?'
Yummy MOO? What is MOO?! Why on earth is she making cow sounds? For those of you who haven't yet discovered MOO:
MOO is dedicated to making beautiful, high-quality print and design - they allow you to create and print your own unique designs so easily. You can choose from their range of designer business card templates or upload your own artwork to create truly unique, creative cards.
They are truly gorgeous and the quality is superb. I've personally been a MOO fan for many years, I've gotten myself; mini cards, stickers and postcards, all of which are almost too cute to give away. Try printing anything from your Flickr account, it works a treat!
MOO Competition from UHandbag
So when a nice chap (called Dan) from MOO suggested I host a MOO giveaway I said 'of course' (give or take a few months of putting it off - thanks to lovely Miss Mabel).
MOO.com is offering a chance to win 50 Classic Business Cards for 3 of our lucky readers. If you’ve not heard of MOO before, they just love to print business cards online – or perhaps you want to create postcards, labels, stickers, MiniCards, greeting cards, MOO can do everything!
Competition Prizes For You To Win!
3 x 50 Classic Business Cards – 3 lucky winners will a set of 50 MOO Classic Business Cards.
To be in with a chance of winning one of the MOO prizes, all you have to do is leave a comment below and tell us, "What is your favourite sewing pattern/book in the world ever?" If poss please include a link in your comment to the pattern/book - so we can all check it out too!
Hey, thank you so much for you super-duper helpful feed back on the mock book covers. We have read through every single one. My publisher and I were blown away by the level of detail you gave in your feedback - sooo useful. As ever, the customer is always right!
The book designing team are now re-creating some book covers based on your comments (I'll try and show you the re-worked covers if I can). I find that exciting and it also makes so much sense! After all, it doesn't matter a jot if my publisher and I like the cover if you folks don't.
I also want to thank you for your for very kind comments on the new book. It's really been a joint effort; lots of you told me what projects you fancied (and you even specified bag features), the publisher has pulled out the stops in making it look great and I just stayed in all Summer tried to write and design projects that you like the look of. :)
So, for the vote I promised there would be a commenter (drawn at random) who would win some bag making goodies.
The trusty RNG stopped on:
Number 53.
Which means that Purpleali who said:
"I like number 3 the best. It looks fresh and exciting. It also shows off 3 very different designs of bag. The only bit I wasn't too keen on was the backgroung in the top left hand corner where your name was - I wasn't very sure about the green colour, maybe a lighter green would be better."
Congrats Purpleali, will you please get in touch with me (for my email address please click on the ABOUT at top right hand corner of blog) so we can arrange getting the good gear sent to you.
Thanks for your entries to the latest crafty loot giveaway. I loved seeing what you're up to craftwise. It's obvious that craft is an integral part of your lives - which is great because it must mean that I'm 'normal' too! Haha! I can see lots of BMB bag pics on the horizon - I'm looking forward to getting them because I'm setting up a baggy gallery in which to 'hang' them in.
Up for grabs was patterns and mags - wish I had time to enjoy 'em!
So the winning number of randomness is:
...numero 16!!!
Which means that Alexandra who said:
"I have a party dress planned for September, a couple of tops for August, and some bags as gifts for the next few weeks. And toys and clothes for my kids for the rest of the year, of course"
Wooo! I'm feeling sooo good right now. I've just handed in a big chunk of writing to my editor. This means I can have a guilt free rest day - before I get back on with the rest of that book. What shall I do? Go bungy jumping, salsa dancing, take in theatre show, or have a slap up meal with Al? Nah, I think I fancy: walking Beans on the sea front, sewing something for fun, watching a movie on telly and then nomming ribs and salad for tea - awww right!
I have to say; I love so much that you have still continued to say hi in emails and on the sosh media. I really appreciate the link love that you're sharing too - even though I've not been blogging as much you're still out there keeping tabs and that's very touching. Thank you.
So, before I pop out of the house with Beanie I wanted to post this give-away, becuase: it's been a long time since we had one, it helps keep my craft gear in order and therefore it'll go to a more deserving home than mine.
**Oh, before I post my own give-away do pop over to the ace Fat Quarterly blog where Kate had made a reviewed my Easy Peasy Purse Kit and she's giving one away!
This purse kit is up for grabs on the Fat Quarterly blog.
Right back to my give-away. Here's what crafty contraband we got comin' your way...
Firstly we have sewing and knitting mags all with yummy and quality projects and a decent level of technical information. They all 2011 issues.
The pattern and instructions are included for this cute skirt - if I had the time I'd love to whip up one of these! Inside sewing World mag.
Same can be said for this sweet halterneck/waistcoat... Inside sewing World mag.
Cute socks aplenty! I can't knit (or crochet) for toffee so let's not even go there! From Knitting Magazine. All the following project pics have instructions included to make 'em...
So so gorgeous!!!! (not sure about the boy jumper, but look at the girl and her top what a cutie!)
And we also have some brand new sewing pattern-age goodness. The 3 patterns above are by Cheryl Kuczek of Paradiso Designs. This lady knows her shapes! Check out her site for more patterns and lots of free tutes too!
It might be summer, but that don't mean nuthin to the rainclouds (which is why Amy B's raincoat will deffo come in handy!) This Carpet bag pattern is one of our best sellers (it'll be back in stock V soon) - when teamed with a bag frame it makes the most adorable shaped carpet bag...
..see what I mean? Beautifully made by Marion G. (Sorry this bag isn't included in the give-away).
I will send the crafty good stuff to 1 winner. The draw is open to everyone. If winner is overseas I will mark the package as a 'gift' so there will be no customs to pay.
To enter all you have to do is comment on THIS PARTICULAR POST by:
SORRY, THIS DRAW IS NOW CLOSED.
Contest Official-ness :
Follow on Facebook
Follow on Twitter
U-Handbag on Flickr
Subscribe to my Feed
Get updates by Email
Recent Comments